One was an ancient silver dragon whose scales had the color of ancient silver coins, and even the edges were slightly curled and worn. She lay there, her huge head resting on her front paws, her eyes like two bottomless, tranquil lakes containing infinite wisdom, as if she had been asleep for a thousand years, yet she knew everything.
Just looking at her makes one feel that the flow of time seems to slow down and become viscous.
She is Malgosra the Spellweaver, the living archive of dragon history, and the deep observer of the magic web.
The other one is covered in deep blue-black scales, as dark as the night sky. Between the scales, it seems as if real nebulae are slowly rotating and flowing, with tiny stars occasionally appearing and disappearing within them.
His posture was even more elegant, his long neck raised, gazing at an invisible focal point on the dome, his gaze so sharp it could pierce through time and space, as if observing dimensional changes beyond the comprehension of mortals.
He is Donoz, the "Astral Traveler," who is most sensitive to spacetime fluctuations and astral anomalies.
The third is a relatively "petite" rainbow dragon, but with the most dazzling and colorful scales.
Her scales refracted dreamlike colors under different lights, and her eyes were lively and curious, seemingly always interested in new things.
She was surrounded by a faint, ever-changing halo of iridescent light, making the surrounding air appear distorted and unreal. She was Matara, the "Returner of a Thousand Colors."
Besides these three, several other locations were shrouded in tranquil magical halos of various colors. Clearly, other elders were in a deeper slumber or meditation, yet they had not yet awakened. However, the energy level emanating from those halos was already astonishing.
The power emanating from these four elders alone, with its ancient depth and vastness, far surpasses the pressure brought by ordinary gods. It is a qualitative difference, as if they are facing a part of the world's rules.
"Dragon Clan Envoy," Linde's voice was calm and neither humble nor arrogant, piercing through the barriers of space and echoing clearly in the sky, a stark contrast to his small stature, yet strangely regal, "You are a guest from afar. May I ask what brings you to my remote territory?"
His voice, like a cold crystal, cut a clear path through the grand dragon's might.
Kael'thas's dragon whiskers swayed slightly, and a grand voice resounded once more, carrying the power to soothe the restlessness, yet also containing an undeniable weight:
"I dare not presume to offer my guidance. Lord Linde, your recent actions have thoroughly disrupted the threads of destiny on the continent of Til, and have even touched the very fabric of the cosmos. Your expulsion of the filth of the God of Fusion and your direct confrontation with the authority of the God of Magic... all of these are enough to attract the attention of the Dragon Council."
Every word seemed to carry the echo of history, striking heavily on the hearts of the listeners.
"The Spellweaver" Magosra slowly raised her head, her deep dragon eyes seemingly able to see through all illusions, landing directly on Lind. The moment she looked at him, Lind even had the illusion that he was being thoroughly examined from the inside out, from the past to the future.
Her voice was like ancient spring water flowing through moss, slow and clear:
“Young controller, the interplay of light and shadow around you is both a variable and an opportunity. We have already sensed the violent tremors of the magic net and the ‘spark’ that is trying to ignite outside the net.”
Her words seemed to carry a magical rhythm, causing the surrounding magical elements to fall silent in response.
"Astral Traveler" Donoz withdrew his gaze from the invisible starfield and looked at Lind, his voice carrying a star-like coolness and remoteness, as if it came from light-years away:
"The ripples you caused in the depths of the Shadow Abyss, and the scars left in the Astral Plane when the God of Fusion fled, all point to one fact—you have acquired the ability to disturb the 'boundaries.' And this concerns all beings that depend on this world."
His words seemed to imbue the surrounding air with the coldness of the starry sky and the silence of a vacuum.
"The Returner of Ten Thousand Colors" Matraya let out a clear, bell-like laugh as she curiously examined Lind. Her gaze seemed to have a tangible weight, lingering on the crystalline remains and the light and dark force fields surrounding Lind:
"Hehe, what an interesting individual! Despite having a human body, you're like a highly sophisticated construct, containing... well, many contradictory yet unified things! How did you manage that?"
Her curiosity was innocent and direct, yet it possessed a keen insight into the essence of things.
The words of the dragon elders were incredibly informative.
They not only knew all of Lind's recent major actions, but also had insight into the nature of his power, his influence on Starfire Base, and his impact on Shadow Abyss.
This unfathomable insight made Linde feel a chill, as if his carefully laid-out chessboard was merely a part of a larger picture in the eyes of his opponent.
“So,” Lind cut straight to the point, ignoring the suffocating aura and soul-searching gazes around him, his voice remained calm, like the most tranquil spot in the eye of a storm, “Is the Dragon Council here to stop me, or to…cooperate?”
Kael'Drak exchanged a glance with the other three elders, a glance that seemed to carry a thousand words and countless years of consideration. Finally, Kael'Drak spoke, his tone becoming extremely solemn, and the surrounding air seemed to freeze:
"It's not about obstruction, nor is it simply about cooperation. Lord Linde, we bring you, and this world, a 'choice,' and a... 'warning.'"
“The silence of Tiolantis is temporary. He is weaving a ‘web of laws’ that covers the entire world deep within the roots of the magic network—we call it the ‘web of fallen gods’. Once completed, all beings that do not obey His rules, including you, your territory, and even us ancient and unwilling remnants, will be ‘formatted’ at the level of rules.”
"Our 'choice' is this: the dragons are willing to offer ancient wisdom and knowledge—about the true underlying rules of the world, and about how to find the nodes and flaws in the 'Weave of Fallen Gods.' But the price is that you need to assist us in accomplishing something that the dragons themselves cannot do alone—"
Kael'thas's dragon eyes were fixed on Lind, his gaze filled with heavy expectation, as well as a hint of helplessness belonging to an ancient race.
"—Enter the 'Dragon's Rest Sanctuary' and awaken our oldest guardian, 'The Rock of Eternity' Amar'rak. Only His 'Anchor of Existence' power can possibly preserve an unaffected 'Pure Land' when the 'Weave of Fallen Gods' is completed."
Linde's pupils contracted slightly.
Dragon's Rest Holy Land?
Awaken the ancient guardians?
The risks and uncertainties involved are probably no less than those of confronting Tiolantis directly, and may even involve deeper and more dangerous ancient contracts and taboos.
Is it to accept the dragons' "choice," step into this murky water, and obtain the key assistance and ancient wisdom to fight against Tiorantis?
Or will they refuse, relying on their own strength and the "Spark Base" to face the impending ultimate divine punishment that could rewrite the rules of the world alone?
A difficult decision lay before Lind. The wind on the observatory seemed to grow colder, while time continued its relentless passage. It was as if one could hear the rustling sound of the "web weaving" from the depths of the magic net, aimed at the entire world, drawing ever closer.
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